Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-02-13
ITHAPRINCE
THE NOVEL ENTERTAINMENT OF A PER-
SIAN RULER.
Gorgeous Furnishings Of His HOuse-Dinner for
FOur-FOOd for Fity-A Remarkable
Experience Most Ent~srtaningly
Described.
81. james Gd-ette.

~. JuHttS ut-ttte-
The first time | had the pleasure of being
entertained by a Persian prince was when
| { ined with the Serrum-u-Dowlet the son
of the governor of the province of Herman
shah, who was the kings uncle. About .
in the afternoon l arrived with a friend at
the princes house. 1t was in the summer
time, and his highness wa sitting with his
brother in n large talar or archway-a sort
of windOwless room-the open front Of
which looked upon q large hank or tank,
into and from which clear water ran. The
whole talar was built in the Arabian OF
Saracenic style of the Alhambra. but the
decorations were far less chaste and much
more hOrid. There were life-siZed, full
length portraits of dancing girls in all pos
sibie and impossible attitudes. Some were
balancing knives and goblets, Others were
in the various pOstures of the Eastern
dance, while one was depicted as standing
on her head. All these pictures were faith
full likenesses of court favOriteS made by
the court painters. The Persians, unlike
other Mohammedans, delight in represen-
tations of female beauty, in which then
artists excel. The Tecesses in the
walls were filled with chrome
Autographs of very dubious taste, let IN
and glazed. There were old chandeliers Of
various %colors, hanging from the lofty
arch, twenty pairs of carriage lamps were
stuck in staples on the walls, and from
each of these depended a tiny cage, III
which q nightingale was singing, I'D emu,
lation of his fellows, ut the full pltch ol
his voice. In the centre of the apartment,
omen TO the air, was n basin five ieet III
diameter, of the alabaster like yellow
yeined marble of Yezd; and in this basin O
single Jet of water, the thickness o. q
mans arm, played furiOusly. The noise
was so deafening that we had to shout our
compliments to each other.
The fountain at length ceased 10 play
mn doubt to the great satisfaction OF three
unfortunate gardeners, who were engaged
in Supplying it by means OF a sort oi OIL
entail treadmill, by which huge bucKet
of water were drawn from a shallow well.
Water pipes lhubble-bubbleS) were
brought and thrown round; and so hoSpl,
table were the princes that they insisted
on smoking the hubble-bubbles last ana
would not he denied. Tea, more pipes,
more tea, during which a long gossip took
place on politics, the Queen, the Shan
the Prince of Wales, and our hosts horses,
dogs, runs and various other possessions,
which were exhibited and duly admired.
1t is now sunset, and n military band,
some twenty strong, and all apparently
PLAYING different tunes, produced tohu-
bohu truly diabolical. Then wine was
seryed-the delicious but heady wine OF
Hamaden. Trays Of sweetmeats, a
containing o dozen beautifully made bon
bons and comfits, all of snowy whitencSS,
were placed on the ground on either side
of each of the party. The guests drank
their wine from glasses; the hosts used
bowls of silver of the size and shape OF Il
finger glass. Spirits in the form OF arracK
strong, coarse spirit of the country
were offered us and declined. Our hosts
drank it like water.
And now entered four lutis or butloonS.
They sang, they danced, and they tsld
stories. to the intense amusement OF
our hosts. Then, amidst the rhythmic
beating of drums and ~tambOurineS, the
clash Of cymbalS and the sounds OF the
cornet, flute, harp, VOL, sackbut, and all
kinds Of music, came four pretty gypsy
girls, half dressed in the gaycst colOrs and
covered with glittering icwelry. They
sailed into the ROOM, each decorated with
her professional smile. Truth to say,
these girls were much painted, but III Per
sia every lady paints on great occasions.
The eyebrows and e~yelaSheS had been
much beautified. A tiny Iouave jacket
of bright satin, embroidered with
gold and seed pearls, was all the clothing
worn above the waist. These skirts reach
ed to the knee and were much bOutfe, like
those of our opera dancers. Two of the
girls wore their ietty tresScs in innumera-
bic plaitS; from the end of each plat hung
n little bell or 4 silver coin. The other
two allowed their magnificent chcvelurcs
of wavy black hair to hang in Il cascade
which fell far below their waists. As to
their eyes, it is enough to say that they
were Persian eyes. The aye OF the dancers
varied from Il years to Il.
The dance had no variety. The four
young ladies spun round in a row, the
hands high in the air, while the fingers
were snapped with a sound like the play
inc of caStanets. Now and then the dane
ers would make what children call IA
cheese Then, while their feet remain
m~otionlesS, their bodies would be swaycd
and contorted more and more rapidlyaS the
music quickened. Then the head was bent
back until it almost touched the ground,
fingers being snapped in time to the music,
while one girl claSped a pair OF cymbalS
ian inch in diameter) between the thumb
and foreliuger of each hand. Mean
while the musicians were singing a Persian
love song with n wild refrain, i'll which all
The scene was n sufficiently gay
one, all taking place under a blaze OF
Light from the chandeliers and carriage
The girls now danced singly, and a yari-
ETY. of posturing was gone through. They
ba auced full glasses and lighted candles;
they stood on their heads; they walked On
their hands in procession, cmuIating The
more difficult attitudes depicted on the
walls. Then they danced 4 rather grace
full scarf dance. Then their attentions be
came personal. They would he well re-
warded by our hosts, but WI gave them a
few coins, and they retired, smiling and
kissing their hands.
After n few minutes rest the musicians
suddenly recommended their performance
with fresh vigor. The tune-for 1t was
something distinctly resembling an air
grew faster and more furious. And nOw
a strange parsonage. He was
about four feet high with a huge, fair face
like a full moon, a small body, short legs,
huge bare feet, and an enormous white tur-
ban. The face was one of intense and dis
nal stupidity. The manikin danced in
a grotesque manner, his arms extended at
n right angle to his body. The stupid.
round face, eighteen inches across, never
Tor a moment lost its dismal expression. We
till we cried. Suddenly the,,dismal,
stupid face expands into a grin; it be
comes a laughing mark; it resume It's air
OF melancholy and idiotic stupidity; it
grins, it laughs, it assumes the most
ludicrous cOntortions. How was it done?
One of the butiOOnS had carefully painted